SHIELDS, Noit-rn, a market and seaport town of England. in ,the county of Northumberland, is Situ ated on the northern bank of the Tyne, about one and a quarter mile from its entrance into the German Ocean. The oldest part of the town is a long narrow street on the side of the river, but the town now con tains several excellent streets, two handsome squares, and a market place unusually spacious. The most fash ionable part of the town is Dockuray Square, which is neatly built, and is inhabited by wealthy shipown ers. On one side there is a commodious quay, at which ships of SOO tons may unload, and another side is decorated with a fine stone edifice, now used as an inn. The parish church was built in 1659. It is sit uated on the north side of the river, and is a plain but commodious edifice; a steeple was erected upon it some years ago, and musical bells placed in it. There is in the town a commodious Scotch church, an ele gant Catholic chapel near the north entrance to the town, and a meeting house for Independents. There is here also a theatre, a new market place, a good subscription library, a dispensary, a large Lancaste plan schoolhouse, a lying-in hospital, an asylum for sick and friendless women, several charity schools, and many thriving benefit societies.
The principal manufacturing establishments in this town are yards for ship and boatbuilding, a rope and sailcloth manufactory, a cast iron foundry, a tobacco manufactory, a tannery, a skinnery, a manufactory of glass and fur. The harbour can accommodate 2000 vessels, and during spring titles, ships of 200 tons can pass the bar. The principal trade of this port consists in exporting coals, though a few vessels were employed in the American and Baltic trade. The want of a custom-house is severely felt here, as all vessels are ob liged to clear out from Newcastle, a distance of nine miles up the river.
The following was the population in 1821: Inhabited houses - 853 Families - 2081 Ditto employed in trade - 762 Ditto in agriculture Males 3845 Females - 4360 Totat population - 8205 There are at the foot of the town two lighthouses, which are kept up by the Trinity House of Newcas tle. Near the lighthouses stands Clifford's Fort, built in 1672, which completely commands all vessels that enter the river. See the Beauties of England and [Vales, vol. xii. part i. p. 89.